A26923:1043
An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches
An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches by reconciling explication without much disputing. Written by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for John Salusbury, 1691
Chapter 23: How Faith justifieth; and how it is imputed to us for Righteousness.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. 25. But remember, that as wise men seldom make any thing a Condition of a gift, which hath no worth in it to please them; so God saw, and put such a worth or aptitude in Faith, or else he had not so much as commanded it.
§. 26. But yet a Condition simply as such, signifieth neither Merit nor Causality at all; but only the terms on which the gift shall be suspended, till they be performed: And so the performance of a Condition as such, is no efficien[…] of the gift, but a removing of the suspending impediment.
§. 26. But yet a Condition simply as such, signifieth neither Merit nor Causality at all; but only the terms on which the gift shall be suspended, till they be performed: And so the performance of a Condition as such, is no efficien〈…〉 of the gift, but a removing of the suspending impediment.
§. 27. Therefore Dr. Twice oft calleth Faith Causam dispositivam justificationis, which belongeth not to the efficient, but material or recipient Cause; and the true Legal Notion of its next Interest in our Justification, is its being [Conditio praestita] and the true Logical Notion is to be [Dispositio moralis materiae, sive subjecti recipientis] call it Causam vel Conditionem dispositivam, as you please: And I think this Question needs no more.
§. 27. Therefore Dr. Twisse oft calleth Faith Causam dispositivam justificationis, which belongeth not to the efficient, but material or recipient Cause; and the true Legal Notion of its next Interest in our Justification, is its being [Conditio praestita] and the true Logical Notion is to be [Dispositio moralis materiae, sive subjecti recipientis] call it Causam vel Conditionem dispositivam, as you please: And I think this Question needs no more.